Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-01-25


in his 25th year, and not remarkably
prepossessing in appearance. He wore
a dilapidated hat, a suit of homespun
jeans, the pants being several inches
too short, and his feet were encased
in heavy brogans-such as were com.
monly worn by the stalwart back
woodsmen of the day. Shortly after
ward he associated himself in the
practise Of law with Josephus Hewitt.
Subsequently he entered into partner
ship with Judge Stephen T. Logan,
and for a short time with Albert T..
Bledsoe, who was afterward Assistant
Secretary of War of the Southern
Confederacy. AT this bar he met
with Lincoln, Douglas, MoDougall,
Shields, Logan, Turnbull, Stuart, Nc
Clernand, etc.-all of whom acquired
national regulations, and with such
formidable rivals as these Baker was
compelled to struggle for that emf
hence in his profession which he finally
attained.
In 1887 he was elected to the Leg
islature from Sangamon county. In
the following year he was reelected.
In 1910 Mr.. Baker entered with ardor
into the "Log Cabin" campaign,
stamping the State for "Tippecanoe
and Tyler too" in company with Lin
coin, Hardin, and other prominent
Wings. n the same year Baker wa
elected to the State Senate, and held
the position for four years, becoming
recognized as one Of the leaders of
the Wing party.
In 1874 he was nominated and
elected to Congress, and in 1845,
when he took his seat, was the only
Wing representative from his State.
Tie Oregon Boundary dispute COM
ing up for consideration at this time
Baker classed himself among the
FIFTY four Forties or Fight" On the
outbreak of tho Mexican War, he
went home, raised regiment-the
Fourth Illinois Infantry-and was
commissioned its Colonel. After Ia, =
ing at Matamoras few months he
accepted the position of bearer of
dispatches to the War Department,
that he might go to Washington to
urge Congress-of which he was still
a member-to hasten the dispatch of
camp equipage and munitions of
war. Returning to Mexico he ar
rived III time to take part in the VIC
torous siege of Vera Cruz. At Cerro
Gordo Baker led his men, and when
General Shields fell at the head of bis
brigade Colonel Baker assumed CON-
mand of the same, made a gallant
charge upon the enemy's works,
turned their flank, drove them from
their position, and contributed mate
rally toward winning that splendid
victory which forms one of the bright
est chapters in the history of the Mex.
lean War.
Returning home, he resumed the
practise of his profession, and re-
moved to Galena, where in 1848 he
was again elected to Congress from a
district hitherto overwhelmingly Dem
ocratic. In the same year he was one
of the Wing electors, and took an
active part in the Presidential cam
paign. In 1851 he took contract to
grade portion of the Panama Rail
road and sailed to Aspinwall to super
intend the work, but, after several
weary months under the vertical rays
of an equatorial sun, he fell so i'll that
he was compelled to return home.
When the bracng air of the Illinois
praires had restored him to some
thing of his accustomed health and
vigor, he turned his gaze toward the
Pacific shore, and in 1852 emigrated
with his family to California, settling
in San Francisco, where, his fame as
an advocate and orator having pre-
coded him, he soon found himself in
possession of an extensive and diver
si6ed business, and rose to the very
summit of his profession. His income
was now large, but with needless i'm.
providence he spent all he earned,
and more.
Identifying himself with the Free
Soil movement in California, he was
in 1855 a candidate for the State
Senate, but sustained Waterloo de-
feat. In 1856 he was one of the first
A. Il Al y